Finger sponge device



March 9, 1943. N. MANDALOU FINGER SPONGE DEVICE Filed Aug. 13, 1940 INVENTOR. NICK MANDALOU.

Patented Mar. 9, 1943 FINGER SPONGE DEVICE Nick Mandalou, New York, N. Y., assignor of onehalf to Leo S. Sacharoff, New York, N. Y.

Application August .13, 1940, Serial No. 352,400

3 Claims. 7 (Cl. 15-444) My invention relates to a device to use the finger-like sections of the finger sponge by securing the finger together, and has among its purposes and objects, the following:

To assemble into a usable unit a plurality of the fingers of the finger sponge.

To provide a sponge unit for washing and for similar uses to which sponges are peculiarly adapted, by assembling and securing a plurality of finger shaped sponge parts to each other.

To provide a sponge pad of finger shaped pieces of sponge assembled and secured together.

To provide an article of manufacture comprising the fingers of the finger sponge.

I accomplish these and other objects by the construction herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a finger sponge before its parts are cut into suitable lengths for my pad.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a fiat pad having a plurality of fingers secured together by stitching.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the pad shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the pad shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a cylindrical assembly of sponge fingers.

Fig. 6 is an end plan view of Fig. 7.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a thick pad of sponge fingers secured to each other by adhesives.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of a pad of sponge fingers secured to each other in a layer and to another layer of sponge fingers disposed across the first layer.

Fig. 9 is an end view of Fig. 8.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing and in the specifications to follow.

I am aware that sponges have been assembled, and whole as well as parts of sponges have been secured to each other. Such part and the sponges likewise are not combined of finger shaped pieces grouped or formed into pads of such construction as to utilize a plurality of finger shaped pieces.

Sponge growths are of a variety of shapes and textures, and the sponges having a fine textureare commonly known as silk sponges of which the Mediterranean Sea is known to have yielded some of the best silk sponges which have been imported to the United States because the sponges now harvested in the nearby waters are coarse in texture with the exception of the finger sponge.

The finger sponge common to local waters and to certain ocean beds near the United States have not been used commercially because the shape of the sponge growth makes its use as a sponge undesirable. Another reason preventing the use of the finger sponge commercially is because in the center of each finger is a stem or hard growth which, if rubbed against the fiesh as in toilet use, would cause irritation and discomfort. The outer surface of the finger sponge is of a fine texture and is truly a silk sponge and thus desirable for toilet use. These peculiar qualities of the finger sponge, by my invention are made useful.

The fingers are cut to the desired length secured together in pads so that the hard stem or core of each finger is not exposed to the face of the pad while the fine surface of the finger is presented as a part of the surface of the pad, thereby forming a silk sponge pad readily secured together and reinforced by the stems against being torn apart.

In Fig. 1 a typical finger sponge is illustrated. The fingers (a) are shown to be of various lengths and diameters, but the diameter of the fingers does not vary sufficiently to cause difiiculty in assembling them into a pad. The length of the fingers, however, are not sufficiently uniform to be easily assembled without cutting them to one of several predetermined lengths to form one of the several sizes of pads having opposed end edges conforming to the length of the fingers of Which the pad is formed.

The out fingers I are grouped according to their length to form pads 2 which may comprise layer 3 as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 6, '7, 8 and 9 or otherwise, and also may be formed in clusters without regard to layers of fingers, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 or otherwise.

The relatively hard core or stein shown in the several Views in which the cut ends 5 are exposed, are not a disadvantage as such stems do not project or form any part of the face 5 of the pad 2 but are so disposed in the pad formed of a plurality of fingers I as to appear at one or more of the marginal edges 1 of the pad. The round ends 8 of the fingers may be all placed at one of said marginal edges to present a soft edge of ends without the hard stems being exposed as they would be at the cut off end of the fingers. A pad so formed would have but a single end in which the exposed stems would appear, as shown in Fig. 7. The exposed cut ends of the fingers may be covered if this is desirable.

The fingers may be secured to each other by rows of stitches 9 as shown in Fig. 2 or by ad hesive ID as shown in the other views. While I have shown or indicated the adhesive in the drawing, the adhesive usually best suited in securing the sponge fingers is invisible and may be applied only to that part of the finger Where securement to the other fingers is desired.

My pads of fingers of the finger sponge may be secured to handles in much the same way that other sponges, or as pads of other material and rubber sponges are secured for various uses.

While I have illustrated and described in detail several constructions of pads formed of the fingers or finger sponges, it is believed after a study of this disclosure by persons skilled in the art to which it pertains, that modifications will be apparent. I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction herein set forth as I may wish to depart therefrom within the scope of the appended claims which set forth my invention.

I claim:

1. In a sponge pad, pieces of finger sponge characterized by a core, soft tissues extending radially from the core, thereby providing an outer soft surface on the sides of th sponge pieces, and means securing a plurality of said sponge pieces together, the side surfaces of said sponge pieces being exposed at the surface of the pad.

2. In a sponge pad, pieces of finger sponge characterized by a core, soft tissues extending radially from the core, thereby providing an outer soft surface on the sides of the sponge pieces, and means securing a plurality of said sponge pieces together, the side surfaces of said sponge pieces being exposed at the surface of the pad, and a plurality of rows of said sponge pieces, the sides of the outer rows of sponge pieces being exposed at the surface of the pad.

3. In a sponge pad, pieces of finger sponge characterized by a core, soft tissues extending radially from the core, thereby providing an outer soft surface on the sides of the sponge pieces, and means securing a plurality of said sponge pieces together, the side surfaces of said sponge pieces being exposed at the surface of the pad, and a plurality of rows of said sponge pieces, the-sides of the outer rows of sponge pieces being exposed at thesurface of the pad, and the ends of said sponge pieces being disposed at the edges of said pad.

NICK MANDALOU. 

